Jonah Goldberg on Berkeley Riots: Milo Courts this Stuff, Feeds on it, Has Parasitic Relationship with Violent Mobs

[skeeter]

Really?

Yes really.

If we truly value and seek to respect the right of free speech, that is. Not to mention public order.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Do we leave it up to the rioters to decide what constitutes a provocation? 'Cause if we do we might as well lock ourselves in our homes and wait for the mob to show up.

If not them, who gets to decide?

The conclusion begins and ends with the first sentence above. Whomever throws the first brick is to blame, period.

Legally you're right, and I'd have no problem with putting anyone who committed violence in jail for an extremely long time.


That being said, there's simply no denying what Jonah said here. Milo clearly goes out of this way to "piss off" the other side, rather than to simply make a good argument. Frankly I see a lot of this crap on the right lately. I see it on TOS all the time, they like such and such a person because he "makes liberals heads explode".

[driftdiver]

Yes conservatives must not speak out because they might make someone angry.   We must sit quietly and let the leftists have all the fun.

You people are sickening.  Grow a pair will ya.

[endicom]

Did Milo even get a chance to "incite" anything - that is, did he give his talk -  or were they rioting just over his very existence?

The latter.

[mountaineer]

That being said, there's simply no denying what Jonah said here. Milo clearly goes out of this way to "piss off" the other side, rather than to simply make a good argument. ...

But if his Berkeley speech was cancelled and he had no opportunity to speak, he didn't actually do or say anything to incite or piss off those who rioted, let alone go out of his way to do so. They just rioted because of what they'd read or been told about him. He should not be faulted for their bad behavior.

[r9etb]

Yes really.

If we truly value and seek to respect the right of free speech, that is. Not to mention public order.

Nice in theory.   But "incitement" is a real thing, and Milo does it for a living.  Goldberg is right about him.

[r9etb]

Yes conservatives must not speak out because they might make someone angry.   We must sit quietly and let the leftists have all the fun.

You people are sickening.  Grow a pair will ya.

What a ridiculous post. 

[geronl]

Milo gets off crying "Fire!" in crowded theaters, in a manner of speaking

[driftdiver]

What a ridiculous post.

@r9etb

Whatever.  There's a reason conservative causes have been losing battle after battle.  If you're too chicken to fight get off the field.

So what if he's provacative.  That doesn't give anyone justification to do what they've done.

[txradioguy]

Milo gets off crying "Fire!" in crowded theaters, in a manner of speaking

Yup...he invites the violence because it brings him attention..remember to some folks there is no such thing as bad publicity.

He's been stirring the pot with Liberal snowflakes since gamer gate...so any hate he gets tossed his way might not necessarily have to do with his love for "Daddy".

[mountaineer]

Milo gets off crying "Fire!" in crowded theaters, in a manner of speaking

When did he do that?

The Atlantic (not a conservative source) discusses the history and meaning of the expression:

Ninety-three years ago, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote what is perhaps the most well-known -- yet misquoted and misused -- phrase in Supreme Court history: "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic."

Without fail, whenever a free speech controversy hits, someone will cite this phrase as proof of limits on the First Amendment. And whatever that controversy may be, "the law"--as some have curiously called it--can be interpreted to suggest that we should err on the side of censorship. Holmes' quote has become a crutch for every censor in America, yet the quote is wildly misunderstood.  ...

Today, despite the "crowded theater" quote's legal irrelevance, advocates of censorship have not stopped trotting it out as thefinal word on the lawful limits of the First Amendment. As Rottman wrote, for this reason, it's "worse than useless in defining the boundaries of constitutional speech. When used metaphorically, it can be deployed against any unpopular speech." Worse, its advocates are tacitly endorsing one of the broadest censorship decisions ever brought down by the Court. It is quite simply, as Ken White calls it, "the most famous and pervasive lazy cheat in American dialogue about free speech."

More

[r9etb]

Whatever.  There's a reason conservative causes have been losing battle after battle.  If you're too chicken to fight get off the field.

The big reason is that conservatives have picked stupid battles and fought them stupidly. 

And I'm really surprised to see you, of all people, talking like this.  I normally think of you as a reasonable person.

So what if he's provacative.  That doesn't give anyone justification to do what they've done.

Nobody's justifying the rioters.  But it's silly to pretend that Milo Yannapoulis is anything other than the type of person Jonah Goldberg described. 

[XenaLee]

Ya know... this is where I get into trouble. Because nobody deserves violence for what they say absolutely...


however, it's not just Milo who does this on the "Deplorables" side. I see a lot of people holding signs in front of a rabid mob and my thoughts are that they are basically courting confrontation. That guy who was knocked out at the airport mob... legally speaking they should arrest whoever did that (if they can) and yet I cannot help but think that they have to be crazy to speak out against a nutso mob like that.

And what is the ultimate alternative to 'courting confrontation' (ie speaking up and speaking out and exercising one's free speech even if/when it goes against the radical leftist agenda)?  You think we on the right should just back off and back away and let them have their way from now on?  This is a war we're in, albeit an unofficial undeclared war.  They are the enemy within and if we just shut up and let them have their say and their way....  we will lose the war.  Not just no, but HELL NO.

[XenaLee]

The big reason is that conservatives have picked stupid battles and fought them stupidly. 

And I'm really surprised to see you, of all people, talking like this.  I normally think of you as a reasonable person.

Nobody's justifying the rioters.  But it's silly to pretend that Milo Yannapoulis is anything other than the type of person Jonah Goldberg described.

Not the point.  It doesn't matter what "type" of person he is.  He still has the right to speak without a violent disruption. 

[roamer_1]

And what is the ultimate alternative to 'courting confrontation' (ie speaking up and speaking out and exercising one's free speech even if/when it goes against the radical leftist agenda)?  You think we on the right should just back off and back away and let them have their way from now on?  This is a war we're in, albeit an unofficial undeclared war.  They are the enemy within and if we just shut up and let them have their say and their way....  we will lose the war.  Not just no, but HELL NO.

That presupposes that Milo Yippinippless represents the Right... Not true IMHO.

[driftdiver]

The big reason is that conservatives have picked stupid battles and fought them stupidly. 

And I'm really surprised to see you, of all people, talking like this.  I normally think of you as a reasonable person.

Nobody's justifying the rioters.  But it's silly to pretend that Milo Yannapoulis is anything other than the type of person Jonah Goldberg described.

@r9etb

I'm tired of losing and disgusted we have to have Trump to win any battles.

[r9etb]

And what is the ultimate alternative to 'courting confrontation' (ie speaking up and speaking out and exercising one's free speech even if/when it goes against the radical leftist agenda)?  You think we on the right should just back off and back away and let them have their way from now on?  This is a war we're in, albeit an unofficial undeclared war.  They are the enemy within and if we just shut up and let them have their say and their way....  we will lose the war.  Not just no, but HELL NO.

Surely you're not suggesting that Milo Yannapoulis' behavior should be our new standard?

[XenaLee]

That presupposes that Milo Yippinippless represents the Right... Not true IMHO.

No, actually....it doesn't.  Has nothing to do with who or what Milo represents as long as all he is doing is speaking and not inciting violence.

[r9etb]

@r9etb

I'm tired of losing and disgusted we have to have Trump to win any battles.

Well, if you limit your options like that, then no wonder the future looks grim.

[Silver Pines]

That presupposes that Milo Yippinippless represents the Right... Not true IMHO.

@roamer_1

That's right. He's a pot stirrer, he likes being non-politically correct, but conservative?  No.

Yes, he has a right to free speech and that should be defended.  But Milo the person is pretty indefensible.  A few days ago he posted an Instagram photo of his upraised arm and fist, painted with fake blood to the elbow.

I'll say no more and let people make their conclusions.

[Silver Pines]

Gateway Pundit
Jim hoft
Feb. 2, 2017

What happened to Jonah Goldberg?

He used to be so sensible. Now he sounds like an unhinged leftist.
Good grief.

More... http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/02/jonah-goldberg-berkeley-riots-milo-courts-kind-stuff-feeds-parasitic-relationship-violent-mobs-video/


Jonah swallows another whale.

@endicom

Not at all.  He's simply been paying attention to Milo's behavior on social media.

[Silver Pines]

Yup...he invites the violence because it brings him attention..remember to some folks there is no such thing as bad publicity.

He's been stirring the pot with Liberal snowflakes since gamer gate...so any hate he gets tossed his way might not necessarily have to do with his love for "Daddy".

@txradioguy

You know why Twitter banned him, right?

[chae]

Milo was pretty vicious to Leslie Jones on Twitter and it seemed to focus on people attacking her for her looks, skin color and weight.  It was disgusting.

[Cyber Liberty]

Milo was pretty vicious to Leslie Jones on Twitter and it seemed to focus on people attacking her for her looks, skin color and weight.  It was disgusting.

I don't think anybody has ever accused him of being a decent guy....

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

And what is the ultimate alternative to 'courting confrontation' (ie speaking up and speaking out and exercising one's free speech even if/when it goes against the radical leftist agenda)?  You think we on the right should just back off and back away and let them have their way from now on?  This is a war we're in, albeit an unofficial undeclared war.  They are the enemy within and if we just shut up and let them have their say and their way....  we will lose the war.  Not just no, but HELL NO.

In this example, I'm saying that you don't have to hold a sign in front of a frenzied mob. To do so is crazy, risky, and stupid.